Brian Rudman: A New Year's resolution for local politicians - think regional

Doesn't time fly when you're having fun. It's hard to believe it was only a year ago that I was soliciting for "positive" comments about Mayor John Banks. That followed his request for me to say something nice about him before year's end.

It's amazing how quickly Auckland's self-proclaimed cheerleader has become but a distant memory. As are the pet projects that brought him down at the ballot box two months ago: the Eastern Highway and the V8 streetcar race.

Also out of sight and mind is something just as scary, the dreaded southern saltwater mosquitoes. At the beginning-of-the-year silly season, my news colleagues had them massing on Whangaparaoa Peninsula ready for their final assault on suburban Auckland, carrying an arsenal of tropical unpleasantnesses. What with them and the painted apple moths out west, the apocalypse seemed nigh.

But by year's end, either the spraying had worked or the lousy weather blew them back across the Pacific, and the invasion scare was over.

That wasn't the only happy trend of the year. Another has been the way central Government became more willing to treat Auckland as being as deserving of assistance as other parts of New Zealand.

This was kicked off in spectacular fashion in the pre-Christmas $1.6 billion transport package last December. Sure, it was catch-up for years of neglect, but why niggle at a gift-horse? Why one shouldn't was highlighted in April when it trotted back with a handout of $8 million to $10 million to help prevent Westhaven Marina falling into the hands of overseas developers.

A month later, Minister of Conservation Chris Carter fronted up with over $10.5 million to ensure that Hauraki Gulf gem Kaikoura Island was preserved as a recreational and wildlife sanctuary for future Aucklanders.

Without delving into the whys and wherefores of the Westhaven and Kaikoura Island purchases, the reality is that without Government intervention squabbling local Auckland politicians seemed prepared to let both icons disappear into private hands rather than be seen to be working together.

Failure to approach opportunities and problems on a regional basis also guaranteed the failure of the V8 street-race proposal. Hopefully, with the chief polariser now out of the picture, civic politics will become more civil. And more co-operative.

Yesterday the Environment Court upheld its recent enforcement order on the noise controls over the speedway at Western Springs. With the speedway operators claiming they cannot work within the noise limits that have been in place, but flouted, for eight years, it looks as if there'll be plenty of silent nights across these suburbs this summer for the first time in 75 years.

No doubt there'll be a backlash from armchair petrol heads like councillor Scott Milne, who also tried to inflict the V8 races on downtown Auckland. He argues that only killjoy wowsers would want to stop such events and that, as a result, Auckland is getting the reputation of a "fun-unfriendly, business-unfriendly and sport-unfriendly" city.

My view is that if we are getting that reputation it's because he, in his term as Auckland City recreation committee chairman, didn't consider the suitability of the existing and proposed venues for these events. Nor did he think either co-operatively or regionally.

Nor is the new Mayor, Dick Hubbard, doing so. He says "the city would pursue every option available to make sure speedway continued at the Springs". Why?

I've been plugging Whenuapai airport in the westie outlands as a possible motorsport park alternative. But south in Manukau City, the council has bought land in Puhinui which Mayor Sir Barry Curtis says would be ideal for speedway and other motor-racing. This sounds like a great regional solution.

Seventy-five years ago, speedway was set up on the outskirts of the then civilised world of Auckland. Common sense says it's time to put it back where it belongs. Out of the city's earshot.

My wish for the new year is that instead of wasting energy on saving this sort of inappropriate "attraction", Mayor Hubbard devotes his time to ensuring the success of AKO5, the Auckland Festival, which kicks off in February.

It has the potential to entertain, to attract tourists, to bring business, to showcase local talents, to highlight the region as the Polynesian capital and, best of all, make us all feel better. No one will need to wear earmuffs, and it won't annoy the neighbours.